Heat exchange panel system



Feb. 21, 1967 R. D. ROTHSCHILD 3,305,003

HEAT EXCHANGE PANEL SYSTEM Filed April 16, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb.21, 1967 R. D. ROTHSCHILD 0 HEAT EXCHANGE PANEL SYSTEM Filed A ril 16,1965 3 heets-Sheet B I a o o a n o l l a a o o a an 1 a a o e n a a a qI.

1967 R. D. ROTHSCHILD HEAT EXCHANGE PANEL SYSTEM 5 heets-Sheet 3 FiledApril 16, 1965 hN l NMQ

United States Patent l 3,305,003 HEAT EXCHANGE PANEL SYSTEM RichardDickson Rothschild, Rye, N.Y., assignor to International EnvironmentCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 16,1965, Ser. No. 448,761 6 Claims. (Cl. 165-54) The present inventionrelates to heat exchange panel systems which may be employed toadvantage in covering generally planar encompassing marginal surfaces ofenclosed building spaces or the faces of walls and/ or ceilings of roomsdefined therein. The heat exchange panel system of the present inventionis particularly adapted to embodiment therein of unique radiant panelsthat may also be constructed readily as acoustical elements which willeffectively deaden or block transfer of sound.

Prior to the present invention it has been conventional to provide andinstall such systems that include distribution pipes or tubing of heatconducting material through which flow heat delivering or absorbingfluid, such as a liquid, e.g., water, and to mount thereon in heattransfer relation thereto radiant panels of heat conducting material.Commonly such pipes or tubing are cylindrical or round and of relativelysmall diameter, e.g., one-half inch /2"), and such panels have heatconducting side flanges extending back generally normal to the panelfaces with these flanges having curved concave channels. An opposed pairof these concave channels in the adjacent back flanges of a pair ofjuxtaposed panels of this type together form an inverted open saddleinto which the pipes or tubing loosely nest. These panel back flangesare held in heat conductive contact with the round pipes or tubingeither by compressive clips or by snap-in T-runner suspension memberswhich engage additional normal flanges on the backs of the panels solocated as to cause the pipes or tubing to nest in the paired concavechannels. There is relatively low heat transfer contact in suchmountings since the conductive contact areas are small due in part tothe fact that the channel lips extend back along the round pipes ortubing a distance about one-half the diame'ter of the latter.

Since heating and cooling performance of such systems varies directlywith the extent of the areas of heat conductive contact between theround pipes and the curved portions of the panel back flanges thisconventional type of system and the panel mounting meansthereof arecharacterized by very limited heat transfer efiiciency. Proper anchorageof the panels in the system which employs compressive clips to hold thepanel back flanges in conductive contact with the round pipes isdependent in part upon considerable skill of the installers inpositioning the clips on the pipes and the velocity and thrust withwhich they push the flanges of these panels into the clips to achieveproper engagement. Slight rotation of a clip or its location at a pointalong the pipe where there is no corresponding curved channel section inthe back flange of such panel will often cause improper securement ofthe panel so that adjacent faces and edges of the panels will not beproperly aligned, lower heat transfer efliciency will result, and clipswill be lost by being driven oif of the pipes in attempts to engage thepanels with the pipes. When such panels are being installed With the useof such compressive clips for lining or covering a ceiling, suchdifficulties may also cause some of the panels to be dropped or to hangin improper misalignment.

When such a system is installed with the use of the snap-in T-runnersuspension members for lining or covering ceiling areas considerableskill and care are re- 3,305,003 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 quired both topush the snap-in T-runners in exact parallel and proper spaced relationwith respect to the round pipes to attain the best possible heatconductive contact between the latter and the curved faces of theconcaved channels in the panel back flanges, and in order to avoidpressing of the panels downward by the pipes that may cause a downwardbowing or convexing of the faces of the installed panels. Extreme caremust also be taken not to engage the vertical back flanges of the panelsin the T-runners where the beads on such panel flanges are in a higherposition than are the receiving channels in the T-runners, in order toavoid such downward bowing or convexing deformation of the panel faces.

Such conventional systems featuring round distribution pipes provideonly single line support and contact for standard horizontal supportbrackets for recessed and surface mounted lighting fixtures, airdiffusers, acoustical speakers, etc. in ceiling installations. Effectiveremoval of heat from overhead lights, which is an important factor inthe total cooling capabilities of such systems, is minimized or reducedto an undesirable degree because of the poor heat conductive contact orthermal bridge between the lighting fixture or its support brackets andthe round distribution pipe due to the small area of heat transfercontact between them. Unless the lighting fixture support brackets areprecisely horizontal they will not seat even in full line contact on thehigh points of the round pipes and thus in such systems verticaladjustment is frequently required which dictates embodiment of means topermit such vertical adjustment so as to assure level and uniformmounting height of elements of such systems in or on the ceilings.

Such conventional ceiling systems also provide undesirably limited openareas to serve for both provision of access openings and for theinstallation of recessed lighting fixtures. For example, when a twelveinch (12") wide panel is omitted or removed from such a ceiling panelinstallation only approximately ten and one-half inches (10%") ofopening is available due to the space taken up by the panel clips orT-runners holding up adjacent panels. Accessibility is even furtherrestricted in the snap-T-runner type of installation by the necessity oflocating both the T-runners and pipes within the same panel area. Atthese locations normal sized recessed lighting fixtures cannot beinstalled.

Further, in such conventional panel systems slight lateral movement ofthe pipes or panels in original inst-allations thereof, which may becaused by removal and replacement for access or due to temperaturechanges and building vibration or movement, will cause lower heatv ingand cooling efiiciency and attendant vertical unevenness of adjacentceiling panels. For example, when the curved channels of the opposedback flanges of a pair of adjacent suc-h panels are engaged to oppositesides of such a round distribution pipe with the adjacent edges of thepair of panels offset laterally from the vertical central plane of thepipe there may be no direct contact between the curved section of theback flange of the one panel which has its back flange located short ofthis vertical central plane while the pipe is nested solely in thecurved channel of the back flange of the adjacent panel since the backflange of the latter is located beyond this vertical central plane.Also, the edge of the panel which has its back flange laterally otfsetshort of this central vertical plane of the pipe will be permitted to belocated at an elevation higher than that of the adjacent edge of thecompanion panel which carries the back flange having the curved concavechannel into which the round pipe is nested.

Additionally, such conventional ceiling installations have poor soundattenuation characteristics or low ability to prevent transfer of soundthrough the ceiling structure when partitions which extend to theceiling are used to divide room spaces, thus causing inadequate soundprivacy between adjacent rooms. This is in part due to the easy passageof the sound through the engagement joints of the curved panel backflanges and the round distribution pipes and also to the multiplicity ofjoints between the panels, the pipes and the thermal-acoustical blanketinterposed between the panels and the ceiling. In such systems thepanels frequently have vertical back flanges at their opposite endswhich do not reach up to the underside of the thermal acoustical blanketand thus the panels create unobstructed passages for sound through theceilings from one room to the next.

These and other problems of prior conventional heat exchange panelsystems are eificiently solved or greatly minimized by structuralcharacteristics of panel systems of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a heatexchange panel system which employs unique panel flange and tubeconnecting joints that assure greater and more eflicient heat transferto provide a much larger heating and cooling capacity while avoidingneed for more complicated fluid distribution means and panel structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new system of thistype in which the panels are easily mounted in a simple manner to thefluid distribution tubes without requiring supplemental fastening means,such as compressive clips, T-runners or the like, while assuringsubstantially aligned and undistorted panel faces and a desiredattendant enhanced appearance.

Still another object is to assure by the improved system of the presentinvention larger access areas which are readily opened up by unusuallyeasy panel removal due to the simplicity of the means that mount thepanels directly to the fluid distribution duets with these mountingmeans provided as parts of the panel structures themselves, the panelsbeing easily remounted in automatically aligned and proper positions toclose the opened access areas.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

In a heat exchange panel system of the present invention designed forselectively heating and cooling an enclosed building space or roomdefined by generally planar encompassing marginal surfaces fluid conduitmeans are mounted along and backed by one of the space marginal surfacesin outwardly spaced relation thereto. The fluid conduit means includesdistribution supply means from which the fluid is fed to at least a pairof, and preferably a much greater number of, transversely-spaced andgenerally parallel flow conducting straight tubes of heat conductingmaterial with a major portion of the circumambient extent of the wall ofeach tube made up of longitudinally-extending and interconnectedsections having flat outside faces. One of these tube faces constitutesan outer one which faces toward the building open space away from thebacking marginal surface and is arranged generally parallel to thelatter. This outer tube face and the similar outer flat face of the tubewhich is paired with the first-mentioned tube are arranged substantiallyin a common plane generally parallel to the backing marginal surface.Each of these outer flat tube faces provides flat abutment shouldermeans. At least one, and preferably a plurality of, radiant panels ofheat conducting material, such as metal having a relatively high heatconductivity, e.g., aluminum, are provided with each having a main flatface section defined between opposite parallaterally inward in oppositedirections to define a longitudinal channel in the outer side face ofeach. The channel in each panel back flange is shaped substantiallycomplementary to no more than one-half the width of the flat abutmentshoulder means of each tube, to form a longitudinal bearing facesubstantially parallel to the flat face section of this panel, andtherebeyond substantially complementary to the inner side of this tubethat is opposed to the other tube with the terminal edge of each flangeterminating therebeyond in an outwardly bowed lip. This panel isanchored removably between the pair of tubes by these shaped sideflanges which are sprung into position between the pair of tubes withthe opposed sides of the latter seated in the back flange channels, withthe longitudinal bearing faces of the back flanges seating against theabutment shoulders of the pair of tubes and with the bowed lips snappedback of or behind the latter.

Each of these distribution tubes may be rectangular in cross-section,such as oblong or square in transverse section and preferably square, inorder to provide these substantially flat abutment and side outer facesoriented relative to each other and to the space backing surface as isindicated above. However, the cross-section shape of each tube may bepolygonal but other than rectangular in order to satisfy theserequirements, as is pointed out hereinafter.

The distribution tubes also improve ceiling panel in stallations in thatthe tubes in the preferred shapes provide wide fiat top surfacessubstantially aligned in a lateral plane upon which may rest or seat inunusually large areas of heat transfer contact parts or supportingbrackets of lighting fixtures and other heat producing electricaldevices for eflicient removal of excess heat therefrom.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the costructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view, with parts broken away and in section, ofa portion of a ceiling installation embodying a form of the improvedheat exchange panel system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of a radiant panel embodied in the systemdepicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the panel illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the panel shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,and indicating in broken lines a portion of an insulating blanketmounted thereabove;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of a portionof the system illustrated in FIG. 1, showing portions of a juxtaposedpair of the panel units of FIGS. 2 to 4 incl. and the fluid distributionsystem to which they are mounted, as well as improved means foranchoring the panel units to an adjacent wall structure;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 5 asviewed in a plane substantially normal to the plane in which the partsshown in FIG. 5 are observed;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 77 of FIG. 6; andFIG. 8 is a detail view, with parts broken away and in section, ofstructure in the vicinity of line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing a modified formof the pipe or tubing and the complementary back flange clips engagedthereabout that are provided on the sides of the juxtaposed pair ofpanel units of which adjacent portions are there illustrated.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar parts are identified by thelike numerals, it will be seen from FIG.

1 that the system therein illustrated embodies the following structuralelements and relationships thereof. The system of FIG. 1 is designed fora ceiling installation and for this purpose a plurality oflaterally-spaced suspension channels, a portion of one of which is shownat 10, are suitably suspended from ceiling structure, such as by aplurality of suspension hangers, one of which is illustrated at 11. Insuch installation the bottom face of the ceiling (not shown in FIG. 1)constitutes a generally planar marginal surface of the enclosed buildingspace or room in which this ceiling installation is mounted. The sectionof the installation illustrated in FIG. 1 is located along a marginalwall of the room (also omitted) which supports a wall molding 12.

The installation illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of panelunits 13 and 130 of the present invention as well as a conventionalpanel unit 14 and a conventional snap-in T-runner 15 provided at thelocation of the transition between a panel unit 13 of the presentinvention and the conventional panel unit 14. The fluid distributionsystem of the FIG. 1 installation includes a fluid supply headermanifold 16 and a plurality of fluid distribution tubes 17 connected tothe manifold. A portion of an acoustical and insulating blanket 18 isdepicted in its surmounted position above the panel units 13, 130 and14.

The header manifold 16 is, as shown in FIG. 1, preferably square incross-section and in one side face thereof are formed atlongitudinally-spaced points rectangular openings 19. An end of each ofthe fluid distribution tubes 17, which are also preferably square incross-section as shown, is inserted in one of the holes 19 in the sideof the manifold 16 to a limited degree and anchored therein inintercommunicating and fluid-tight relation, such as in the mannerproposed in FIG. 7, as is more fully described hereinafter. The lateraltubes 17 are suitably anchored to the suspension channels that arelocated thereabove, such as by clips 20, and other clips 21 fasten anyT-runners to such suspension channels.

It should be apparent that such square distribution tubes 17, whileoccupying no greater overhead space than round distribution tubes of thesame transverse dimension or no greater portion of the space interveningthe panel units and the ceiling, will provide a greater cross-sectionalarea of flow therethrough. Also, such a square distribution tube willprovide appreciably more area of outside surface than will a round tubeof the same transverse dimension, to be utilized to advantage forefiicient heat transfer. For example, while a one half inch /2) diamet-er round tube will provide in a one inch (1") wide circumferentialzone an outside surface area of 1.5708 square inches, a one-half inchsquare tube /z" x /2) will provide in a one inch (1) wide circumambientzone an outside surface area of two (2) square inches, which providesmore than 25% greater surface area.

The radiant panel unit 13 illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1 isshown in greater detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. Each panel unit 13 is madefrom suitable heat conducting sheet material, e.g., aluminum, and isshaped to provide a main generally flat face section 25 which isrectangular, as is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, having opposite parallelside-s 26 and opposite parallel ends 27 arranged substantiallytransversely of or normal to these sides.

The sheet material of panel unit 13 is turned up or back along theopposite sides 26 generally normal to the plane of the flat face section25 to provide a pair of substantially parallel resilient side flanges28. As will be best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 these side flanges 28 areshaped laterally inward in opposite directions to define in the outerside face of each a longitudinal channel 29 with a longitudinal zone ofthis channel in each side flange being shaped substantiallycomplementary to no more than onehalf the width of the flat abutmentshoulder means provided by the front face 22 of one of the squaredistribution tubes 17 to form a longitudinal bearing face 30 extendingsubstantially parallel to the panel face section 25.

Outwardly or back beyond the longitudinal bearing face 30 of eachresilient side flange 28 the latter is shaped substantiallycomplementary to the inner side 24 of one of the flow distribution tubes17 which is opposed to the next succeeding flow distribution tube withthe terminal edge of each flange terminating therebeyond in an outwardlybowed lip 31.

In order to assemble each radiant panel unit 13 or with or anchor it toa pair of the successive and laterally-spaced flow ducts or distributiontubes 17, the installer will push or lift the panel unit into the spacebetween this pair of tubes with the curved inner sides of the bowed lips31 riding successively against the opposed inside corners of the frontfaces 22 of the tubes and then along the opposed tube side faces 24until these bowed lips snap beyond the opposed inside corners of thetube back faces 23, such as is illustrated in FIG. 6. This operation isrepeated with the next panel with respect to one of this pair ofdistribution tubes 17 and the next successive one of the latter toprovide the assembly shown in FIG. 6. As a result, the shaped sideflanges 28 of the juxtaposed pair of radiant panel units 13 snuglyengage about a major portion of the outside surface of the distributiontube 17 common to the panel-tube joint wherein sides of adjacent panelsare juxtaposed, as is illustrated in FIG. 6. The pair oflongitudinally-extending flat abutment shoulders provided by both halvesof the front face 22 of the common distribution tube 17 are snuglyabutted by or engaged with the pair of longitudinal bearing faces 30 ofthe juxtaposed flanges 28 of the adjacent panel units 13. The side faces24 of this distribution tube 17 are snugly engaged by the inner faces ofthe longitudinal channels 29 of the panel side flanges 28, and theopposed pair of bowed lips 31 are snapped in behind the back face 23 ofthe tube. Consequently, good heat transfer contact is provided betweenthe opposed pair of panel side flanges 28 and each distribution tube 17in each panel-tube joint, and the anchorage of the panels to the tubesrequires no supplemental parts, such as compressive clips or T-runners.

It will be understood from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 that in order to provide forsuch mounts of panel units 13 in positions bridging across the headermanifold 16, notches 32 will be cut into the shaped side flanges 28, sothat the header manifold will be received in these notches. Also, whenit is desired to mount a light fixture or other heatproducing unit abovethe panels 13 and 130 addition-a1 notches 33 may in like manner he cutinto the panel side flanges 28, so that parts of such a heat sourceunits or brackets thereof may seat directly on the back or top faces 23of the distribution tubes 17 in good heat transfer relation thereto.

When in a ceiling installation an insulating blanket, such as thatindicated by the portion 18 in FIG. 1, is to be installed between theassembled panel units 13 and 130 and the fluid distribution system,strips of such insulating blanket will be supported initially upon thelateral distribution tubes 17 between the laterally spaced suspensionchannels 10. Then when the radiant panel units 13 and 130 are pushedinto their mounted positions between successive pairs of thedistribution tubes 17 the terminal edges of the bowed lips 31.0f theshaped panel flanges 28 will be abutted to or engaged against theopposed face of the insulation blanket. When such radiant panel units 13and 130 are of the acoustical sound reducing type, such as by havingtheir main face sections 25 provided substantially over the entireextent thereof with closely arranged perforations, as is indicated at 34in FIGS. 1 and 2, such panel units may be desirably provided with endflanges 35 also extending substantially normal to the face sections 25thereof backwardly to the plane in which are disposed the tip edges ofthe curved lips 31, as is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. As a consequence,the faces of the insulating blanket strips 18 which will back or coverthe acoustical and radiant panel units, such as 13 and 130, willefliciently close off to a substantial degree the spaces within .thepanels intervening their side flanges 28 and their end flanges 35, so aseffectively to reduce sound transmission. When such end flanges 35 areprovided, each should have both of its transverse ends notched, such asat 36, to permit free passage of the distribution tubes 17, as will beunderstood from FIGS. 1 and 6.

The system of the present invention may embody to advantage a practicaland unique form of flow communicating connection of each distributiontube 17 to the header manifold 16, such as that illustrated in FIG. 7.As is therein indicated, a sidewall 37 of the header manifold 16 may beprovided with a series of the longitudinallyspaced square holes 19adjacent the bottom wall 38. This manifold bottom wall is provided witha dimple or indentation to form an interior stop boss or nib 39 back ofand aligned with each hole 19. An end of each distribution tube 17 isinserted in one of the holes 19 until it abuts against the stop nib 39which thereby limits the extent of the insertion so as to avoid undueblockage of flow through the header manifold 16. The inserted end ofeach distribution tube 17 may then be anchored to the header manifold 16and sealed off to the edge of the hole 19 in which it is inserted bymeans of fillet welding or soldering, such as that indicated at 40.

The ends and the sides of the marginal panel units 13 or 130 may, as thecase may be, anchored in an eflicient manner to adjacent wall structure,as is indicated in FIGS. and 6. For this purpose one may employ toadvantage a wall molding channel 12 having a top flange 41, a bottomflange 42 provided with an interiorly returned, biasing spring lip 43,and an intervening web 44 suitably fas tened to the inside face ofvertical wall structure, such as that indicated in section at 45 in FIG.5. As is illustrated in FIG. 5, the outside end of the marginal panelunit 13 and its end flange 35 may be securely anchored in the Wallmolding channel 12 with the employment of a holddown channel section 46inserted within the end of the panel unit inward of this end flange. Thehold-down channel section 46 includes a top flange 47, a bottom flange48 and an intervening web 49, the latter being of such width as to causethe top flange 47 snugly to seat against the inner face of the topflange 41 of the wall molding channel 12 and the bottom flange thereofto bear against the inside face of the flat face section 25 of the panelunit with some distortion or flattening of the spring lip 43 on thebottom flange 42 of the wall molding channel. The same means may beemployed to advantage in anchoring a side of a marginal panel unit 13 toanother vertical wall structure 145 which, as is illustrated in FIG. 6,may require some trimming of a side of this panel unit. Such trimming ofa side of a marginal panel unit 13 may remove one of its side flanges 28to fit the remaining narrower portion of the panel unit between thenearest flow distribution tube 17 and the inner face of the wallstructure 145. It will be seen from FIG. 6 that in such case the samesecure clamping is obtained to provide the same type of efiicientanchorage to the adjacent vertical wall structure. In the event that notrimming of a side of the marginal panel unit is required for thispurpose the hold-down channel section 46 may be inserted within thepanel unit adjacent the shaped side flange 28 to obtain an anchorage ofthe type illustrated in FIG. 5. It is also to be understood that priorto insertion of either an end or a side portion of a panel unit of thepresent invention within the wall molding channel 12 the spring lip 43of the bottom flange 42 of the latter may be arranged at an acute angle,such as about 30, to the bottom flange 42 that carries it, so that itwill be distorted substantially to the shape illustrated in FIGS. 5 and6 with the insertion of the portion of the marginal panel unit 13 intothe wall molding channel 12 and the holddown channel section 46 carriedwithin this panel unit with secure clamping of the parts together.

It is illustrated in FIG. 8 that practice of the present invention isnot limited to the employment of rectangular flow distribution tubeswhich are either oblong or square in cross-section. It is indicated inthe panel-tube joint illustrated in FIG. 8 that each distribution tube170 may be polygonal in cross-section, but other than rectangular toprovide the desirable abutment shoulder means of each tube and thecomplementary longitudinal bearing faces of the shaped side flanges ofthe juxtaposed panel units 113 of the present invention. In FIG. 8 thepolygonal flow distribution tube 170 is shown to he hexagonal incross-section and made up of longitudinally-extending and interconnectedsections having flat outside faces with the outer or front one 122thereof defining flat abutment shoulder means and with the inner or backone 123 thereof serving as means beyond which the bowed lips 31 of theopposed shaped side flanges 128 may be snap-engaged. In the formillustrated in FIG. 8 the channel 129 of each shaped side flange 128intervening the longitudinal bearing face 130 thereof and its outwardlybowed lip 31 will be troughshaped in transverse section so as to becomplementary to the sidewall faces of the flow distribution tube whichintervene its front and back faces 122 and 123.

It will thus be understood that in installations embodying features ofthe present invention excellent heat conductivity between the panelunits and the flow distribution tubes is assured since the panel sideflanges can make surface contact with a major portion of the entireoutside surface of the tubes while still assuring easy removability andwhile avoiding occupancy of no more space between the panels and theback marginal surface of the building space or room than is occupied byround tubes. Greater heat transfer efliciency .is assured between lightfixtures or other heat source devices and flow distribution tubes sinceportions of such devices or brackets thereof may 'be seated against thewide back faces of the present tubes as distinguished from mere linecontact with round tubes. Since the need for employing compressive clipsor T-runners is eliminated by the present invention the panel units canbe installed by relatively unskilled personnel without loss of heatingor cooling efficiency and while avoiding uneven or improperly securedpanels. Embodiments of the panel units of the present invention are ofsuch design as automatically to center the panel units when they arepushed inward or upward into their anchored positions and positive stopsare provided by engagements of the flat abutment shoulder means of thetubes with the longitudinal bearing faces of the panel side flanges soas to prevent the panel units from being installed in improperorientations with their main face sections misaligned. Greateraccessibility is assured since an installation of the present inventionis characterized by easier insertion and removal of the panel units andlarger intervening space for access is provided for accommodating widerrecessed lighting fixtures, i.e., a space of about eleven andone-quarter inches (11%") wide is available as contrasted with theapproximately ten and one-quarter inches (10%) wide space available inround tube systems. Sound attenuation from room to room through aceiling installation embodying the system of the present invention issubstantially improved by the sound-trap design of the pi-peato-paneljoint which is characterized by three rectangularly opposed surfaces inthe sound path through the joint that embodies distribution tubes whichare rectangular in cross-section. Such sound attenuation is alsoimproved by the elimination of one joint in the pipe-panehblanketassembly and by the elimination of the space between the end flanges ofthe panel units and the opposed face of the blanket (as in theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 4), so as locally to isolate the spacewithin each panel unit behind its face section.

It will thu be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efliciently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A heat exchange panel system for selectively heating and cooling anenclosed building space defined by generally planar encompassingmarginal surfaces comprising, in combination;

(A) fluid conduit means mounted along and backed by one of the spacemarginal surfaces in outwardly spaced relation thereto including a pairof transversely spaced and generally parallel flow conducting straighttubes of heat conducting material with a major portion of thecircumambient extent of the wall of each tube made up of longitudinallyextending and interconnected sections having flat outside faces, andwith the outer one of the latter facing toward the space away from saidbacking marginal surface and the similar outer flat face of said tubepaired with this tube being arranged substantially in a common planegenerally parallel to said backing marginal surface, each of said outerflat tube faces providing flat abutment shoulder means; and

(B) a radiant panel of heat conducting material provided with (a) a maingenerally flat face section having opposite parallel sides spacedlaterally apart a distance greater than the space between said tubes,and

(b) a pair of resilient side flanges connected respectively to saidsides and extending back away from and generally normal to the plane ofsaid face section with these side flanges shaped laterally inward inopposite directions to define in the outer side face of each alongitudinal channel, the channel in each side flange being shapedsubstantially complementary to no more than one-half the width of saidflat abutment shoulder means of each tube to form a longitudinal bearingface substantially parallel to said face section of said panel andtherebeyond substantially complementary to the inner side of said tubeopposed to the other tube with the terminal edge of each flangeterminating therebeyond in an outwardly bowed lip, said panel beingremovably anchored between said tubes by said shaped side flanges sprunginto position between said tubes with the opposed sides of the latterseated in said channels, said longitudinal bearing faces seating againstsaid abutment shoulder means of said tubes and said bowed lips snappedback of the latter.

2. The heat exchange panel system as defined in claim 1 in which saidtubes are rectangular in cross-section.

3. The heat exchange panel system as defined in claim 1 in which saidpanel main flat face section is provided with acoustical perforations.

4. The heat exchange panel system as defined in claim 3 in which saidradiant acoustical panel is rectangular and a plurality thereof aremounted end-to-end in like manner between said pair of tubes with eachpanel having a pair of end flanges extending back away from the plane ofsaid flat face section thereof and terminating in edges locatedgenerally in the same plane in which the terminal edges of said sideflange lips are located simultaneously to contact the face of aninsulating backing blanket and block off the interior space of eachpanel for minimizing sound transfer.

5. A heat exchange panel system for selectively heating and cooling anenclosed building space defined by generally planer encompassingmarginal surfaces comprising, in combination;

(A) fluid conduit means mounted along and backed by one of the spacemarginal surfaces in outwardly spaced relation thereto including aplurality of uniformly spaced and generally parallel flow conductingstraight tubes of heat conducting material arranged in a plurality oftransversely spaced successive pairs thereof located in front of themarginal surface, each of said tubes being substantially rectangular incross-section to provide an outer longitudinally extending face facingtoward the space away from said backing marginal surface to provide flatabutment shoulders, and with these outer abutment shoulder faces of saidtubes being arranged substantially in a common plane generally parallelto said backing marginal surface and with the opposed side faces of eachpair of said tubes being arranged substantially parallel to each otherand generally normal to said common plane; and

(B) a plurality of substantially parallel panels of heat conductingmaterial each provided with (a) a main rectangular and generally flatface section having opposite parallel sides laterally spaced apart adistance greater than the space between said tubes of each pair thereof,and

(b) a pair of resilient side flanges integrally con nected respectivelyto said sides and extending back away from and generally normal to theplane of said face section with these side flanges shaped laterallyinward in opposite directions to define in the outer side face of each alongitudinal channel defined on the far side by an outwardly bowedterminal lip, each channel being shaped on its near side substantiallycomplementary to about one-half the width of said abutment shoulder faceof each tube to form a bearing face extending longitudinallysubstantially parallel to said panel face section and therebeyondinwardly of said bowed lip substantially complementary to the adjacentside face of this tube and normal to said bearing face, each of saidpanels being removably anchored between one of said pair of square tubesby its shaped side flanges sprung into position between the tubes ofthis pair with the opposed sides of the latter seated in said channels,said bearing faces seating against said tube abutment shoulders and saidbowed lips snapped behind the back sides of said tubes.

6. The heat exchange panel system as defined in claim 5 in which saidtubes are substantially square in crosssection.

References Cited hy the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,718,383 9/1965Frenger 54 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

C. SUKALO, Assistant Examiner.

1. A HEAT EXCHANGE PANEL SYSTEM FOR SELECTIVELY HEATING AND COOLING ANENCLOSED BUILDING SPACE DEFINED BY GENERALLY PLANAR ENCOMPASSINGMARGINAL SURFACES COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; (A) FLUID CONDUIT MEANSMOUNTED ALONG AND BACKED BY ONE OF THE SPACE MARGINAL SURFACES INOUTWARDLY SPACED RELATION THERETO INCLUDING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELYSPACED AND GENERALLY PARALLEL FLOW CONDUCTING STRAIGHT TUBES OF HEATCONDUCTING MATERIAL WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF THE CIRCUMAMBIENT EXTENT OFTHE WALL OF EACH TUBE MADE UP OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ANDINTERCONNECTED SECTIONS HAVING FLAT OUTSIDE FACES, AND WITH THE OUTERONE ONE OF THE LATTER FACING TOWARD THE SPACE AWAY FROM SAID BACKINGMARGINAL SURFACE AND THE SIMILAR OUTER FLAT FACE OF SAID TUBE PAIREDWITH THIS TUBE BEING ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY IN A COMMON PLANE GENERALLYPARALLEL TO SAID BACKING MARGINAL SURFACE, EACH OF SAID OUTER FLAT TUBEFACES PROVIDING FLAT ABUTMENT SHOULDER MEANS; AND (B) A RADIANT PANEL OFHEAT CONDUCTING MATERIAL PROVIDED WITH (A) A MAIN GENERALLY FLAT FACESECTION HAVING OPPOSITE PARALLEL SIDES SPACED LATERALLY APART A DISTANCEGREATER THAN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID TUBES, AND (B) A PAIR OF RESILIENTSIDE FLANGES CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO SAID SIDES AND EXTENDING BACKAWAY FROM AND GENERALLY NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF SAID FACE SECTION WITHTHESE SIDE FLANGES SHAPED LATERALLY INWARD IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TODEFINE IN THE OUTER SIDE FACE OF EACH A LONGITUDINAL CHANNEL, THECHANNEL IN EACH SIDE FLANGE BEING SHAPED SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY TONO MORE THAN ONE-HALF THE WIDTH OF SAID FLAT ABUTMENT SHOULDER MEANS OFEACH TUBE TO FORM A LONGITUDINAL BEARING FACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TOSAID FACE SECTION OF SAID PANEL AND THEREBEYOND SUBSTANTIALLYCOMPLEMENTARY TO THE INNER SIDE OF SAID TUBE OPPOSED TO THE OTHER TUBEWITH THE TERMINAL EDGE OF EACH FLANGE TERMINATING THEREBEYOND IN ANOUTWARDLY BOWED LIP, SAID PANEL BEING REMOVABLY ANCHORED BETWEEN SAIDTUBES BY SAID SHAPED SIDE FLANGES SPRUNG INTO POSITION BETWEEN SAIDTUBES WITH THE OPPOSED SIDES OF THE LATTER SEATED IN SAID CHANNELS, SAIDLONGITUDINAL BEARING FACES SEATING AGAINST SAID ABUTMENT SHOULDER MEANSOF SAID TUBES AND SAID BOWED LIPS SNAPPED BACK OF THE LATTER.